Glass 
 
 Book/i^LS. 
 
Executive Mansion, June 5, 1861 
 
 Private . 
 
 Lieutenant General Scott, 
 
 My dear Sir: 
 
 Doubtless you begin to understand how disagreeable it 
 is for me to do a thing arbitrarily, when it is unsatisfactory to 
 others associated with me. 
 
 I very much wish to appoint Colonel Meigs Quarter-master 
 General, and yet General Cameron does not quite consent. I have 
 come to know Colonel Meigs quite well for a short acquaintance, 
 and so far as I am capable of judging, I do not know one who 
 combines the qualities of masculine intellect, learning and 
 experience of the right sort, and physical power of labor and 
 endurance, so well as he. 
 
 I know he has great confidence in you, always sustaining so 
 far as I have observed your opinion against any differing ones. 
 
 You will lay me under one more obligation if you can and will 
 use your influence to remove General Cameron's objections. I 
 scarcely need tell you I have nothing personal in this, having never 
 seen or heard of Colonel Meigs, until about the end of last March. 
 
 Your obedient servant, 
 
 A. LINCOLN. 
 
y'